Flexible hose pump with resiliently pressed rollers



T. F. ORMSBY Feb. 25, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 24. 1961 M. W W 5 w m M M =1 m 0 A M E E W W 0 Q z l llnzllillllr W W Feb. 25, 1964 T. F. ORMSBY 3,122,103

FLEXIBLE HOSE PUMP WITH RESILIENTLY PRESSED ROLLERS Filed Oct. 24, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1N VEN TOR. THU/V0 75 EUR M55 Y a 1775' HE'S/VT United States Patent 3,122,103 FLEXIBLE HDSE PUMP WITH RESILIENTLY PRESSED RGLLERS Thomas F. Ormsby, 2908 W. 11th St., Plainview, Tex. Filed Oct. 24, 1961, Ser. No. 147,334 Claims. (Cl. 103-149) This invention relates to improvements in pumps and more particularly to improvements in fluid pumps which utilize one or more elastomer tubes arranged on a concave, cylindrical segment so pressure may be applied thereto by rollers to progressively move fluid through a hose or hoses during the rotation of an element carrying rollers.

The present invention is an improvement on my copending application, Ser. No. 71,655, filed November 25, 1960, for Flexible Hose Pump, now Patent No. 3,079,868, dated March 5, 1963. The present pump is so constructed that pressure is applied more evenly through the entire arcuate movement of the rollers along the length of the tubing in which the rollers are in contact, to present a pumping action. Furthermore, the roller assembly is so constructed that it may be readily removed from the housing for repair or replacement, either of the roller assembly or of the hose.

Various hose pumps have been proposed heretofore, but due to the stretch of the hose elements, and to the difficulty in maintaining a plurality of rollers in uniform contact engagement with the hose throughout a maximum length of travel, coupled with the fact that the rep-air and replacement of the pump parts required so much time, that these pumps, for the most part proved undesirable for many ump users.

An object of this invention is to provide a pump for pumping and measuring fluids, or fluids and solids, the solids of which may be abrasive or corrosive to met a and wherein no undue wear is accorded the moving parts of the present pump.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pump which may be readily assembled and disassembled for repair and replacement of parts in a minimum of time.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a roller member which gives substantially constant pressure throughout the entire arcuate travel of the roller member while in contact with the hose elements.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pump of such construction as to prevent feed-back of the material being pumped, when the pump is not running.

Yet a further object of the invention is to provide a fluid pump which is positive in operation, simple in construction, easy to assemble and to disassemble, and which is low in the cost of manufacture.

With these objects in mind and others which will become manifest as the description proceeds, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate like parts in the several views thereof, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the pump taken from an end and the front thereof;

FIG. 2 is a transverse cross sectional view taken through the pump, with parts being broken away and parts being shown in section to bring out the details of construction;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, elevational view of the device vwith parts being broken away, and parts being shown in section to show the manner of attachment of the roller support spider to the shaft of the pump mechanism; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective, exploded view showing the rotating element of the pump spaced outward from the housing thereof and showing the retaining cap members is exploded relation with respect thereto.

With more detailed reference to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates a base which is shown to be formed of angle members each of which angle members has an out-turned flange and an upstanding leg thereon. To each upstanding leg of each angle member is secured an end plate 2 by means of bolts 4. The end members 2 are complementally apertured to receive elongated stud bolts 6 therethrough. The inner face of each end member 2 has a milled groove 8 formed therein to complementally receive an elongated arcuate back-up plate 10, a segment of which back-up plate has a concave, cylindrical surface, another portion of which back-up plate has an outwardly extending portion which forms a transition angle 11 at one end of said arcuate portion, and the other end thereof has an apertured flange 12 thereon to receive tubular members therethrough.

The down-turned angle or flange portions 12 of backup plate 10 fit into the complementary grooves 8 of the end plate 2, whereupon bolts 6 are passed through the end plates 2 to bindingly engage the back-up plate 10 between the end plates 2 in secure relation. An intake manifold 14 has the ends thereof closed by plugs '17. Plates 16 are secured to the manifold 14, which plates are apertured on the lower side thereof to receive bolts 18 therethrough and through apertures 20 in the upstanding legs of the base 1 to fixedly hold the manifold 14 in adjusted relation with respect to the base 1. The plurality of apertures 29, which are provided in base 1 enable longitudinal movement of the manifold 14 with respect thereto.

The manifold 14 has a primary inlet port 22 on one side thereof and outlet tubes 24 leading therefrom. The present pump indicates eight of these tubes 24, however, the number may be varied from one to many, as is desirable for the particular pumping operation to be performed. An inlet hose (not shown) is connected to the inlet port 22 so as to withdraw the fluid being pumped from a container, and the hose 26 are connected to dis charge outlets 24, as by hose clamps 28. Each hose 26 is of sufficient length to extend to the most remote point of the concave, cylindrical segmental surface of back-up plate 16 and thence to an outlet tube 30 which is fixedly secured in the respective apertures within angle member 12. The hose 26 is secured to the tube 30, as by hose clamp 32.

Each of the end plates 2 is slotted, as indicated at 34 to complementally receive a shaft 36 transversely thereinto. Bearing mounting blocks 38 are fitting on the shaft 36, which bearing mounting blocks 38 each have a sleeve bushing 39 therein, which is resinous, or synthetic resinous material, such as Teflon or the like, which is a plastic which requires a minimum of lubrication or no lubrication. The bearing mounting blocks 38 are preferably rectangular in shape and are adapted to be slidably mounted within the respective bearing housings 40 which complementally receive the rectangular mounting blocks 38 therein in sliding relation. A back-up plate 47 is fixedly secured to housing 40 on each end plate 2, and each back-up plate 47 has a pair of bolts 46 extending therethrou each of which pairs of bolts complementally receive an apentured plate 44 thereon so that the plates will be in contact, bearing relation with one of the plane faces of the respective bearing mounting blocks 38. Wing nuts 42 threadably engage bolts 46 and adjustably move shaft 36, carrying spider 48 thereon, inward toward the mediate portion of the concave, cylindrical surface of the elon ated back-up plate 10.

The shaft 36 has hubs 51 fitted thereon so as to form the center of the spider 48. Bars 52 are circumferentially spaced around the respective hubs 51 and extend radially outward. In the present instance, three of these bars 52 extend outward from each hub 51 which bars are spaced apart. Complementary pairs of parallel bars 52 each receive a transversely apertured shaft 54 thereon so that the shaft 54 will be parallel to the axis of shaft 36. A compression spring 56 is slid over each bar 52, with the inner end of each spring being in engagement with the respective hubs 51, and the outer end of each spring 56 is in engagement with the inner side of the respective shafts 54, which shafts are slidably mounted on pairs of complementary bars 5-2. The shafts 54 are non-rotatable about the respective axes thereof.

Each of therollers 50 has a bushing 4-9 fitted in each end thereof to journal the respective rollers on the respective shafts 54. The rollers 50 and the shafts 54 are mounted between guide bars 53, which guide bars are attachably secured to the respective hubs 51 and to the respective bands 58 radially outward from the respective ends of bars 52, so as to form guide-ways for springs 56. This will permit shafts 54 to be moved in guided relation between the respective pairs of bars 53, yet enable the turning of the entire roller assembly, which is designated generally at R, as a unit about the axis of shaft 36 so that the rollers 50 will successively contact the hose 26 and keep the hose 26 in compressed relation against the concave, arcuate face of concave arcuate member 1%, which, in the present instance, is approximately 180 degrees. The required degree of compression on the hose 26 may be had by tightening wing nuts 42 on bolts 46 to the desired tightness to urge the apertured plates 44 and mounting blocks 38 inward into bearing housings 46 'so as to urge the roller assembly R against the hose 26. It is to be noted that the roller assembly may be readily removed and replaced by the removal of the wing nuts 42 and apertured plates 44, then the entire roller assembly, including the shaft 36, may be moved transversely out through slots 34 in end plates 2, or, if desired, the wing nuts 42 may be sutficiently loosened to relieve the hose 26 of pressure, thereby prolonging the life of the hose by relieving the pressure therefrom when the pump is inactive.

The individual parts of the roller assembly R may be readily removed and replaced, when the roller assembly has been removed from the slotted end plates 2, by the loosening of set screws 51a in hubs 51, whereupon, the shaft 36 may be moved'longitudinally out of engagement with hubs 5'1, whereupon, the radially extending bars 52 may each be moved inward individually by inserting a slim drift in hole 60 to move the bars 52 the diameter of shaft 54 at each end of each shaft 54, then the respective shafts 54 may be moved longitudinally outward, which may be repeated until all the shafts 54 have been removed. By removing the shafts 5'4 longitudinally the shafts will also be removed from the rollers 50, the respective bands 58, guide bars assembly 53 and hub 51 which are secured together as respective units may be moved longitudinally along shaft 36, by loosening set screws 51a to enable the radially disposed bars 52 to be removed from the hub 51. With the rollers 50- being rotatably and yieldably journaled on the respective shafts 54, the pump is ready to operate.

The shaft 36 extends outward from one of the end plates 2 a 'suflicient distance to enable a V belt pulley or a sprocket (not shown) to be fitted thereon so the shaft may be driven by an endless transmission medium from a suitable power source, or if desired, a shaft may be coupled in end-to-end relation with shaft 36 to perform the driving operation. V

' Operation With 'thesuction pipe 22 of manifold 14 being connected with a fluid supply, fluid is drawn through pipe 22 into intake manifold'14, and with outlet tubes 24. leading from manifold, and with outlet hose connected with the respective tubes 24, the movement of the respective rollers V into engagement with the hose 26 will cause the hose to 'be compressed against arcuate back-up plate 10, whereby the spring 56 will yield to put the correct pressure on hose 26 to maintain the respective rollers 50 in contact relation with the hose 26 through the full arcuate length of travel of the concave inner surface of elongated cylindrical back-up plate 10, and since the arcuate surface is approximately 180 degrees in length, and the rollers 50 are spaced on degree spacings, at least one roller is always in contact with the hose, therefore, there can be no back flow of fluid once the roller has engaged the hose, in the manner shown in FIG. 2, thereby obviating the necessity of providing check valves.

For repair or replacement of the entire spider assembly 48, including the bearings and bands, as shown in FIG. 4, the assembly may be removed, by removing wing nuts 42, in a matter of minutes to enable the replacement of any particular part or the whole unit, as desired.

Having thus clearly shown and described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1'. A pump for pumping liquids or a mixture of liquids and solids, which pump comprises:

(A) a concave, arcuate back-up plate,

(B) a pair of upright, spaced apart end plates, one secured to each end of said concave, arcuate back-up plate,

"(1) a bearing housing mounted on each said end plate exterior'ly thereof,

(2) each said end plate having a transverse, slotted opening formed therein for a portion of the width thereof,

(a) each said slotted opening lying in a plane which passes medially through each said slotted opening and through an axis common to the concave face of said arcuate back-up plate,

(C) a roller assembly,

(1) a drive shaft, 7

(a) a bearing on each end of said drive shaft,

each bearing being received by one said (4) a spring surrounding each said radial bar and i being interposed between said respective hubs and the respective ends of said roller shaft to urge said roller shaft outwardly,

(a) roller shaft retaining means on the distal end of each said radial bar to limit the outward movement of the respective roller shafts, a a i V (5) a roller mounted on each said roller shaft,

(D) screw threaded bolt means on each said bearing housing,

(1) threaded nut means threadably engaging each said bolt means to hold said roller assembly in said bearing housings, l

(E) a manifold positioned along one side of said con cave, arcuate back-up plate,

(1) said manifold having an inlet opening formed (2) said manifold having a plurality of outlet openings formed therein along the length thereof, V l (3) an elastomer hose element connected to each said'outlet opening of said manifold in secure.

relation and extending in relatively close'fitting relation around said concave, arcuate back-up plate, I

'(a) means anchoring said 'elastomer hose along the side of said concave, arcuate back-up plate opposite said manifold, and

(b) the rollers of said roller assembly, upon rotation, will alternately compress and release said elastomer hose to create suction which will draw liquid into said elastomer hose, which liquid will discharge from said elastomer hose at the ends thereof opposite said manifold.

2. A pump for pumping liquids or a mixture of liquids and solids, which pump comprises:

(A) an elongated, concave, arcuate back-up plate, (B) a pair of upright, spaced apart end plates, one secured to each end of said concave, arcuate, back-up plate,

(1) an open end bearing housing mounted on each said end plate, exteriorly thereof,

(2) each said end plate having a transverse, slotted opening formed therein for a portion of the width thereof,

(a) each said slotted opening lying in a plane which passes medially through each said slotted opening and through an axis common to the concave face of said arcuate back-up plate,

(C) a roller assembly,

(1) a drive shaft,

(a) a bearing on each end of said drive shaft, each bearing being received by one said bearing housing on the respective end plates,

(b) means mounting said drive shaft within said bearing housings to hold said drive shaft within said bearing housing and in fixed relation with respect to the portion of said elongated, concave, arcuate backup plate, through which said medial plane passes,

(c) said drive shaft extending through one of said bearing housings for connection of a prime mover thereto,

(2) spaced apart hubs mounted on said drive shaft,

(a) each said hub having a plurality of radial apertures formed therein, with the apertures in one hub being in parallel relation with respect to the apertures in the other of said hubs,

(3) a bar fitted within each said radial aperture in each said hub and extending radially outward therefrom, with the radial bars of one hub being in parallel relation with respect to the bars of the other of said hubs,

(4) transversely apertured roller shafts slidably mounted on pairs of said parallel, radial bars in sliding relation with respect thereto,

(a) a retainer band surrounding the respect tive adjacent outer ends of said roller shafts to limit the outward movement of said respective roller shafts slidably mounted on i said radial bars,

ward therefrom intermediate the length thereof and forming an inlet therefor,

(2) a plurality of conduits extending outward from said manifold on another side thereof and being spaced apart along the length thereof,

(3) an elastomer hose connected in secure relation to each said conduit of said plurality of conduits and extending in relatively close fitting relation around the concave face of said elongated, concave, arcuate back-up plate.

(a) means anchoring said elastomer hose along the side of said elongated, concave, arcuate back-up plate on the side thereof opposite said manifold, and

(b) the rollers of said roller assembly, upon rotation, will alternately compress and release said elastorner hose to create suction which will draw liquid into said elastomer hose, which liquid will discharge from said elastomer hose at the ends thereof opposite said manifold.

3. A pump for pumping liquids or a mixture of liquids and solids, which pump comprises:

(A) a concave, arcuate back-up plate, (B) a pair of upright end plates, one secured to each end of said concave, arcuate back-up plate,

(1) each said end plate having a lateral slot formed therein for a portion of the width thereof, each said slot lying substantially medially in a plane which passes through an axis common to the concave face of said arcuate back-up plate,

(2) a bearing housing mounted on each said end plate exteriorly thereof and surrounding a portion of said slot,

(C) a drive shaft,

(1) a bearing fitted on each end of said drive shaft, one of said bearings being received within each of said bearing housings,

(2) means securing said bearings within said bearing housings,

(3) hubs mounted on and secured to said drive shaft in spaced apart relation,

(a) each hub having at least three radial apertures formed therein, with the radial apertures of one hub being parallel to the radial apertures of the other hubs, to form pairs of complementary radial apertures,

(b) a bar fitted in each said radial aperture in each hub, which bars extend radially outward therefrom,

(c) a compression spring surrounding each said bar, one end of each spring being in abutting relation with the respective hubs,

(D) a second series of shafts, one of each said second series of shafts being mounted on a pair of said parallel, outwardly extending bars, the axis of each shaft of said second series of shafts being parallel to the axis of said drive shaft, said second series of shafts each having an end portion thereof in bearing relation with the other end of the respective compression springs,

"(1) the other end of each said compression spring being in bearing engagement with an adjacent end of one of said second shafts to urge said second shafts outwardly,

(E) a manifold mounted along a side of said concave,

arcuate back-up plate,

(1) said manifold having an inlet opening formed therein,

(2) said manifold having a plurality of spaced apart outlet openings formed along the length thereof,

(a) a hose connected with each said outlet in said manifold, which hose lie around the concave face of said arcuate back-up plate,

'2 each said hose having an outlet at the distal end thereof,

(F) a roller journaled on each shaft of said second series of shafts, each roller being adapted to complementally engage said hose for a predetermined are, when said drive shaft is rotated,

(G) means connected to said drive shaft for rotating said hubs, said bars, and said second series of shafts carrying said rollers to urge pumpable material from said manifold out through the outlets of said hose.

4. A removable roller assembly for a hose pump, which pump has a frame having a concave, arcuate member, said roller assembly comprising;

(A) a drive shaft,

(1) spaced apart hubs mounted 'on and being secured to said drive shaft,

(2) a plurality of circumferentially spaced, radial bars mounted in each'said hub and extending outwardly therefrom,

(a) the radial bars in the respective hubs forming complementary pairs of parallel bars, one bar in each hub lying in a plane which passes through the axis of said drive shaft,

(3) each said radial bar having a compression spring slid thereover, with one end of each said spring being in abutting relation with the hub on which the bar is mounted,

(B) a plurality of second shafts,

-( 1) each said second shaft being transversely apertured near each end thereof,

(2) the axes of said apertures in each said second shaft being in parallel relation,

(a) which apertures in each said second shafts receive pairs of said parallel radial bars therein in complementary relation,

(3) a roller journaled on each said second shaft,

(4) the other end of each said compression spring being in resilient engagement with a portion of one of said second shafts, and

(5) retaining means on the distal end of each said radial bar to limit the outward movement of the respective second shafts.

5. A removable roller assembly for a hose pump as defined in claim 4; wherein spring guide means is provided on opposite sides of said spring on each said bar and is parallel thereto to maintain said springs on said respective bars in spaced apart relation.

References Cited in the file of this patent V UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,913,992 Blue et al Nov. 24, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 744,414 Great Britain Feb. 8, 1956 

1. A PUMP FOR PUMPING LIQUIDS OR A MIXTURE OF LIQUIDS AND SOLIDS, WHICH PUMP COMPRISES: (A) A CONCAVE, ARCUATE BACK-UP PLATE, (B) A PAIR OF UPRIGHT, SPACED APART END PLATES, ONE SECURED TO EACH END OF SAID CONCAVE, ARCUATE BACK-UP PLATE, (1) A BEARING HOUSING MOUNTED ON EACH SAID END PLATE EXTERIORLY THEREOF, (2) EACH SAID END PLATE HAVING A TRANSVERSE, SLOTTED OPENING FORMED THEREIN FOR A PORTION OF THE WIDTH THEREOF, (A) EACH SAID SLOTTED OPENING LYING IN A PLANE WHICH PASSES MEDIALLY THROUGH EACH SAID SLOTTED OPENING AND THROUGH AN AXIS COMMON TO THE CONCAVE FACE OF SAID ARCUATE BACK-UP PLATE, (C) A ROLLER ASSEMBLY, (1) A DRIVE SHAFT, (A) A BEARING ON EACH END OF SAID DRIVE SHAFT, EACH BEARING BEING RECEIVED BY ONE SAID BEARING HOUSING ON THE RESPECTIVE END PLATES, (2) HUBS MOUNTED ON AND SECURED TO SAID DRIVE SHAFT IN SPACED APART RELATION, (A) RADIAL BARS MOUNTED ON EACH SAID HUB, (3) ROLLER SHAFTS JOINING THE RESPECTIVE OUTER ENDS OF CORRESPONDING RADIAL BARS OF SAID HUBS AND BEING MOVABLE WITH RESPECT THERETO, (4) A SPRING SURROUNDING EACH SAID RADIAL BAR AND BEING INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID RESPECTIVE HUBS AND THE RESPECTIVE ENDS OF SAID ROLLER SHAFT TO URGE SAID ROLLER SHAFT OUTWARDLY, (A) ROLLER SHAFT RETAINING MEANS ON THE DISTAL END OF EACH SAID RADIAL BAR TO LIMIT THE OUTWARD MOVEMENT OF THE RESPECTIVE ROLLER SHAFTS, (5) A ROLLER MOUNTED ON EACH SAID ROLLER SHAFT, (D) SCREW THREADED BOLT MEANS ON EACH SAID BEARING HOUSING, (1) THREADED NUT MEANS THREADABLY ENGAGING EACH SAID BOLT MEANS TO HOLD SAID ROLLER ASSEMBLY IN SAID BEARING HOUSINGS, (E) A MANIFOLD POSITIONED ALONG ONE SIDE OF SAID CONCAVE, ARCUATE BACK-UP PLATE, (1) SAID MANIFOLD HAVING AN INLET OPENING FORMED THEREIN, (A) A CONDUIT CONNECTED TO SAID INLET OPENING OF SAID MANIFOLD, (2) SAID MANIFOLD HAVING A PLURALITY OF OUTLET OPENINGS FORMED THEREIN ALONG THE LENGTH THEREOF, (3) AN ELASTOMER HOSE ELEMENT CONNECTED TO EACH SAID OUTLET OPENING OF SAID MANIFOLD IN SECURE RELATION AND EXTENDING IN RELATIVELY CLOSE FITTING RELATION AROUND SAID CONCAVE, ARCUATE BACK-UP PLATE, (A) MEANS ANCHORING SAID ELASTOMER HOSE ALONG THE SIDE OF SAID CONCAVE, ARCUATE BACK-UP PLATE OPPOSITE SAID MANIFOLD, AND (B) THE ROLLERS OF SAID ROLLER ASSEMBLY, UPON ROTATION, WILL ALTERNATELY COMPRESS AND RELEASE SAID ELASTOMER HOSE TO CREATE SUCTION WHICH WILL DRAW LIQUID INTO SAID ELASTOMER HOSE, WHICH LIQUID WILL DISCHARGE FROM SAID ELASTOMER HOSE AT THE ENDS THEREOF OPPOSITE SAID MANIFOLD. 